"L.A. city council restricts roaming airport solicitors"

Thursday, October 31, 2002

L.A. city council restricts roaming airport solicitors
The Associated Press


LOS ANGELES - The City Council voted to restrict the movements of
solicitors, such as Hare Krishnas, at Los Angeles International Airport.

People soliciting money at the airport will be forced to stand behind
booths or in designated areas rather than roam terminals as they now do,
the council decided by a unanimous vote on Oct. 29. 

The new restrictions on how charitable, religious and political groups
can solicit money were developed after the council attempted to ban all
solicitation in 1997. That effort was stalled by a federal court
injunction and is being appealed. 

Airport officials said the new law doesn't violate constitutional rights
of free speech. The law is needed now because of the increasingly long
lines due to security screening at the airport, authorities said. 

"(Travelers) are a captive audience," Los Angeles World Airports
attorney Breton Lobner said. Allowing groups to solicit them would not
only be unfair but could pose security concerns, he said.


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